Help Wanted: Global Head of Knowledge

The want ads that appear in The Economist almost – but not quite – make me want to apply.

In a recent issue, there was a posting for Director, Congressional Research Service, at the Library of Congress. The services mission is “to provide comprehensive, authoritative, and reliable analysis, research, and information services that are timely, objective, nonpartisan, and confidential, thereby contributing to an informed national legislature.” Pretty catbird seat-ish, I’d say, other than that “confidential” aspect.

I mean, it might just be too, too tempting not to drop the dime on the senators and reps who ask for nonpartisan research disproving evolution, the age of the earth, or climate change. But, come to think of it, those guys are probably getting their “research” elsewhere.

Then there were the director-level positions at the UN. The ad was accompanied by a picture of a somewhat zaftig, fifty-something woman – and the note that “applications from women are strongly encouraged.”

I could be so there… Living in Murray Hill. Walking to my cool job at the UN. Having lunch with my somewhat zaftig, fifty-something friends. Man, forget living my career over again. I’d be happy just to have my fifties back…

Then there was the ad for a “Global Head of Knowledge” for the International Finance Corporation that’s part of the World Bank, which, now that Dominique Strauss-Kahn has exited the building, may be a reasonably good place for a woman to work.

And Global Head of Knowledge.

Wowie-zowie! Now there’s a job title that would do any know-it-all proud.

Unfortunately, the job itself sounds a bit prosaic, especially when you strip out the terms like “ensuring cross-fertilization of good practices.” (At least it didn’t say “best practices.”)

Basically, the position is for the capo di tutti Knowledge Management capi. 

Which, sigh, is something that I am and was interested in, and did a bit around the fringes with.

Damn!

If only I’d done something beyond those nascent attempts to get folks to put things in Lotus Notes. Or update yesterday’s content. Or actually go to the site where the information that someone was looking for resided, rather than pestering me for it every time they needed it.

I could have been a contender!